Tenebrous Emerald
by JammyWammy
Summary: After 11 years of relentless abuse and neglect, Harry Potter managed to break free from his daunting life. He was sent to a school of Wizardry alongside the pressures of fame, and was sorted to a house with a promise of nurturance for greatness. But drowning with ambition, also a haunting past and present, what would become of him? Joining Slytherin house was only the beginning.
1. Tenebrous Emerald prelude

**Summary:****_After 11 years of relentless abuse and neglect, Harry Potter managed to break free from his daunting life. He was sent to a school of Wizardry alongside the pressures of fame, and was sorted to a house with a promise of nurturance for greatness. But drowning with ambition, also a haunting past and present, where would it take him? Joining Slytherin house was only the beginning._**

* * *

**Prelude:**

Harry Potter cast his brilliant green eyes downwards towards his knees to stare at a scraped portion of his skin that was visibly bleeding. He had gotten himself injured, again, after his hellish get away from the kid who round-the-clock caused him torment. His cousin, Dudley Dursley. He grimaced as he quietly shut the front door, avoiding being heard by his relatives announcing that he just came in, he'd always try to sneak out and play outside if he can, but to his great displeasure, his cousin had manage to get to him.

Petunia Dursley, his mother's sister, had always been so resentful towards him for as long as he can remember. These actions didn't unnoticed by her husband, Vernon Dursley, and instead of placing his foot forward to stop the boy from being constantly mistreated, he would gladly join in doing rather despicable and more ghastly things with no inch of remorse.

The boy didn't have a choice, knowing very little about his parentage for the Dursleys rarely tell him anything about them, he only knew that they were tragically killed in a car crash, leaving Harry with no knowledge about any other living relative he could run to instead. Enduring everything they do to him and the usual derogatory remarks he received had been an everyday routine. The teasing and name calling from his cousin was always his morning greeting, and the poor boy had never been felt any affection from his Aunt Petunia, despite the fact that he was the son of her only sister. Starvation had also been a common scenario for Harry and it was very evident by the looks of him, he was rather thin, looking really underfed and wearing Dudley's old clothing made him worse looking than ever, for his cousin was a little over in the weight making his garments larger than Harry could handle.

"Where have you been?" The venom in Petunia's voice halted him from his quiet steps and it sent shivers down his spine. He had made her angry again. He slowly cast her a look, trying hard not show any signs of dread or panic, then he spoke in a calm manner.

"Just outside, Aunt Petunia." He said quietly, looking down.

"Outside, you say?" Petunia snapped, her lips twitching angrily. "And who told you that you can go wondering about the neighborhood?" She asked as she slowly approached him, he back away until he was leaning back to back with his cupboard bedroom under the stairs. As soon as he did, the front door opened with a bang to reveal a very red-faced and out-of-breath Dudley.

"I saw him outside Mummy! He was sneaking out again!" The boy exclaimed while he pointed his stubby fingers with great proximity against Harry's nose.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Petunia, I just thought I can get fresh ai-"

Harry's words were halted by a fierce slap across his face.

"Do that again and you'll get worse than that, boy!" She spat. Dudley started guffawing before he scurried away to the kitchen with heavy footsteps and Harry carefully adjusted his glasses, which has gone askew, back to his nose. Petunia visciously pulled Harry out of the way, opened the cupboard door and roughly pushed him inside. "No meals for you tonight." She said then she slammed the door shut then proceeded to lock it from the outside, leaving Harry alone in the dark, dingy and spider infested makeshift bedroom that he has. He sat over his moth eaten covers and lifted his knees to his chest. He began blowing on the wounds to ease the stinging pain then he sighed as he closed his eyes.

He had always wondered when it will be all over. They kept saying to his face that he was a very bad boy and he wondered if it was actually true at all. He never had a memory of him greatly defying his Aunt and Uncle, sneaking out to play seemed trivial and he wondered why he was not even allowed to do such a thing. Also, he haven't even started a fight with his cruel cousin despite wanting to just beat the boy senseless until he's passed out for weeks. But he knew to himself that he was not as bad as they made him appear to be. Doing the chores and the cooking made him think that his remaining family would change the way they look at him, but none of it made any difference to them. And if he was being honest with himself, he was getting exhausted and weakened day by day. He shivered, but it was not from the cold. He ruffled his already untamable black hair to ease the sudden pounding of his head, hoping his self-comfort would greatly help.

And just like many occassions, he will endure another night with his stomach growling in protests from the lack of food, so he decided to do the best option he could think of; to just curl up a little earlier than usual and hope to fall alseep immediately so he won't feel his hunger and the stinging pain of his knees anymore. Deep slumber was his best friend on times like these, not only because he was temporarily taken away from the cruel reality he was in, but because of his dream that was so wonderful but at the same time, eerily disturbing.

He had always been having the same dream almost everyday since he turned ten years old. He saw himself sitting on a magnificent, towering silver throne, and it was encrusted with brilliant green emeralds that was the exact same hue as his eyes, which shone impressively on the moonlight. On top of it were two montrous serpents that were coiled majestically together, their eyes gleaming with the same green jewels. Beneath him were people, but not just any people, they were wearing what looked like robes, and hoods hid their faces as they bowed down to his feet. For some reason, that dream had always made him feel perplexed, he was never perceived as someone important and loved all his life, but having to see people bow down to him was rather exhilarating.

"It will end. Things will get better." He whispered to himself with a sad smile before he closed his eyes, a single tear escaping from the corner of it.

* * *

His arms were mechanical as he worked on wiping the windows in a circular motion with his usual cleaning rug and his spray bottle at hand. He had seen a grey tabby cat watching the house for a while now by the fence and it unnerved him for some reason, but dismissed that feeling later on. Moving around the house gave him view of the things happening outside Privet Drive. Some lady was pushing her baby by the stroller with a small dog tied up at the handle, a few kids were on their bikes, happily catching up to each other which made him feel a sudden rush of envy, he wished he had a bike and some friends that he can ride it with, too.

"Hurry up with your wiping, boy! Useless little bastard!" Vernon yelled as he looked up behind his newspaper. Harry prided himself in being able to ignore the yelling and cursing whenever he was around and it was one of those times. He continued to look out the window while he still wiped the window he was working on spotless with his Uncle still mumbling under his breath. After a little while, Harry saw their elderly neighbor, Mrs. Figg, who was going on about her errands carrying a large brown paper bag while she tried to fish out her house keys from her purse with great difficulty. The Dursleys had always left him to her watch whenever they needed a babysitter, which Harry always reluctantly obliged. Mrs. Figg was a cat lover to the extreme and her whole house reeked at the scent of it. Harry shook his head with his lips formed in a thin line, remembering his dreaded times spent with the mad cat lady and her cold tea. Not later after Mrs. Figg's walking form passed by his view, a brown owl swooped down the lawn then was instantly gone.

He wondered about the owl.

It was an unusual sight, but he still have work to do for the day. He tried not to think about it too much but he was failing miserably. If only he could go outside again to see. He quietly went over to the front door, hoping to sneak out again just for a little bit, just to get a glimpse of the owl and what it was up to, but his plans immediately changed when he saw an envelope by the carpeted floor just below the mail slot. His eyes widened at an alarming rate, his heart started pounding inside his chest and he seemed to be rooted from the spot he was standing on as soon as he saw whom the letter was addressed to.

_Mr. H. Potter,_

_The Cupboard_ _under__ the Stairs,_

4_ Privet Drive,__Little Whinging,_

_Surrey._


	2. Tenebrous Emerald 1

**Chapter 1:**

"Is this some kind of joke?" Harry whispered to himself as he stared at the letter at hand. His green eyes were rapidly moving from side to side as he took in every word, not believing a single thing.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE_

(_Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Another letter was included but it was a list. A list of books, robes for a uniform, cauldrons (which made him scoff) and some other items that he had never heard of. He knew it was Dudley playing his dirty pranks on him again. He glared at the letter before he furiously folded it then shoved it back to the envelope. He opened his cupboard bedroom door then unceremoniously threw it by his bed, he continued to throw disgusted looks at its direction as if it was the most revolting thing he had ever laid eyes upon on. He was furious, very furious. It was one thing that they loathed him and made him feel unwanted, but to play a joke saying he was someone who practiced witchcraft was beyond him, and a school for such a thing? His hands turned to fists, trembling tremendously. He wanted to burst into the living room and just scream obscenities at the Dursleys' faces, how he wanted that so badly.

"HARRY POTTER!" Vernon bellowed by the fireplace which greatly startled Harry. He jumped with his heart hammering by his chest then he let out an exasperated breath from his mouth, still feeling enraged. He glared ahead as he marched towards the living room with his temper rising by the minute. He hesitated, wondered if it was a good idea to face his Uncle now when all he wanted to do was wring the grown man's neck. "WHERE ARE YOU?!" Vernon yelled yet again.

"Coming, Uncle Vernon." Harry responded behind gritted teeth with his eyes hard. A vase suddenly shattered as he passed by it causing him to jump several paces and lean against the wall. "What...?"

"What was that?" Petunia appeared wearing rubber gloves and her housecoat, obviously in the middle of her kitchen wipe down. "You broke my vase!" She exclaimed then stared in horror at the shattered vase and Harry. "What are you playing at, boy!" She yelled as she grabbed Harry roughly by his skinny arm.

"Ow! That hurts!" Harry yelled back. "I didn't do anything!" He heard thundering footsteps coming and he knew he was done for.

"What happened here?" Vernon came into view sporting his usual purple hued face, and it was not a good sign.

"This boy ruined my vase Vernon! Look!" Petunia pointed her long, thin forefinger towards it and Harry saw how Vernon's nose flared up in fury.

"You!" The grown man barked then he grabbed Harry by the hair making the boy yelp in pain. "You ungrateful little punk! How dare you!"

"No! Stop it! I told you I didn't do anything!" Harry cried pleadingly but it was no use.

"Dad! Look!" Dudley came downstairs to check the commotion and he was pointing at something by the cupboard bedroom. Vernon dragged Harry by the hair towards it then he stopped abruptly after seeing an envelope lying by the bed. Vernon slowly leaned forward to take a good look at it with his eyebrows knitted together then he hastily let go of his nephew like he was white hot. Harry turned to look up his Uncle, whose face was suddenly pale as the moonlight.

"When did you get that?" Vernon said in an almost whisper, his face obviously terrified. Aunt Petunia was looking over his shoulder in the same shocked disbelief as he is. Harry stared at him, wondering what was so terrifying about a prank letter. "I'm asking you boy!"

"I... I got it j-just now..." Harry said quietly, his face still sporting the same disbelief. He turned to Dudley who was staring with a dumb look at the letter, obviously shocked about something. Harry's eyebrows knitted together in confusion, it if was because the lack of reaction from Harry after his prank has reached him, he didn't know. He was about to speak again when Vernon hurriedly went forward, squeezed himself inside the small cupboard then he grabbed the envelope. The hand holding it visibly shook which perplexed Harry even more.

"Uncle Vernon? Why are yo-" Harry flinched as Vernon started ripping the letter hysterically, paper cutting his fingers in the process. He then grabbed Harry by the hair again then harshly shoved him inside the bedroom cupboard then slammed the door shut to lock him inside.

"You will not get out of there. And no bloody letter will reach you ever again, you hear me?! EVER!" Vernon barked before Harry heard him take off while mumbling curses under his breath. The boy wondered if his Aunt stayed rooted outside his door. But he didn't care anymore. Many things were racing on his mind, first, what was Dudley's reaction all about? He didn't understand it. And second, why was his Aunt and Uncle so terrified? He thought about the letter. It was about a school for witchcraft and wizardry, he remembered some of the words for he had read it multiple times before throwing it away. It says he was accepted at the school and term starts at September 1st. He tried to remember the names, there was someone called Dumbledore, and Minerva the Deputy Headmistress, and the name of the school was Hogwarts. Seemed to be a funny name for something as a school for witchcraft. The list of school books was almost too real now, he remembered carefully. There was _A History of Magic_, there was also something like _The Standard Book of Spells, grade 1_. He also saw _Fantastic Beasts and where to Find Them_, he wondered about that, it sounded suddenly interesting. There was also a book about potions making and more. Harry knitted his eyebrows to remember a few more things, there was a list of things he needed to bring, school robes, cauldron, quills. He opened his eyes in realization.

"A wand." He whispered to himself.

He remembered his dream very clearly, he was sitting on a towering silver throne encrusted with emeralds. And in his right hand, he was grasping something wooden and long, like a wand. Harry let out a breath, wondering if the letter was entirely true after all. But it was so hard to believe making him groan in exasperation. But then he remembered the events that happened a few days ago. The Dursleys grudgingly took him to the zoo on his cousin's birthday due to the absence of Mrs. Figg and honestly, it was one of the best days of his life. He got to eat ice cream, the one Dudley wasn't able to finish, see a different environment and animals much to his excitement. He encountered a boa constrictor snake from inside its confinements, he started to talk and apologize to it after Dudley tried to almost smash the glass to get it to move. And to his surprise, it responded back to him. It _talked_ back. He didn't know how it happened, and he completely forgot about it until now. There were more instances of him displaying or doing something unreal, like suddenly reappearing somewhere else hidden when he tried to get away from school bullies, who were also Dudley's croonies. Again, he had no idea how that happened and it bothered him to no end. One of Dudley's Christmas present had suddenly burst to flames one day while Harry glared at it in pure spite, it almost burned half the house down which earned him multiple beatings from his Aunt even though he knew it was not his doing, he insisted it was not his fault, he was standing at the other side of the room away from it after all. There were many instances than he could count and he started thinking about the letter again. His heart began to race. If only he can retrieve the thing again all in one piece. And above all, he had realized one last thing, Dudley didn't have the brains to think about such an elaborate prank as the Hogwarts letter.

A small smirk began tugging on Harry's lips.

* * *

Harry woke up with a start, a few days had already passed and his situation did not improve one bit. He was confined inside his room with Aunt Petunia bringing him stale bread and small cubes of cheese every meal time. He had the dream again, same everytime and he wanted to know what it meant more than ever. He cracked an eye open to be greeted by the pitch black darkness of his makeshift bedroom. He frowned when he heard his Uncle's voice, yelling.

"Who are you and want do you want?" He heard Vernon snap at someone by the door. "What are you doing at my house?"

"Good morning, Mr. Dursley." Harry heard a woman speak. "We are from Hogwarts School and we came to visit Harry Potter. We were wondering if he had already gotten his acceptance letter? We haven't received an owl back with his confirmation so we came in personally to make sure that everything is in order." She continued and based on her voice, Harry thought that she was one stern and strict lady.

_Came... For me? They're from Hogwarts?_ Harry thought with wide eyes. He swallowed thickly for his throat had suddenly become dry. "It is real..." He whispered to himself in disbelief, his hand was now covering his mouth in shock.

"W-what in the bloody world are you talking about?" Vernon stuttered as he answered back. "You lot are not welcome here! Get Out! Out!"

"But you see, Mr. Dursley," Harry heard another voice, a male. "We have something important to discuss with you and dear Petunia," He heard his Aunt whimper loudly. "In regards with your nephew, we would love to settle into your beautiful home so we can have a little chat about him and his start of term in our school." It was a gentle voice and Harry could have sworn that it belonged to an old man, a very old man.

"There is no barking way that I'm letting you freaks com-" Vernon abruptly stopped speaking and Harry heard him whimper, along with Petunia and Dudley's tiny shrieks who he assumed were watching from the back.

"Don' yer dare insul' Albus Dumbledore again, yer grea' lump! No' 'nother word, I tell ye!" A booming, furious voice echoed next which made Harry jump and it caused him to release the breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"G-get that thing a-away from me!" Vernon exclaimed with his voice in a much higher pitch than usual, Harry wanted to laugh. But he also wondered what his Uncle was looking at. He was really curious who came for him and he wanted to see what was happening but there was no way to see anything outside. He could have just screamed for help, but for some reason, he just stayed there, frozen, and let everything unfold. "There is no Harry Potter here! You've got the wrong house!"

"Vernon." Petunia spoke with her voice trembling, as if to stop her husband from being anymore hysterical. Probably scared that the neighbors might hear.

"Aah," The old man by the door started. "But I believe that you are not being entirely truthful." He continued calmly.

"W-what makes you say that?" Vernon fired back then he whimpered, again.

"Minerva." The older man called. Harry gasped when he heard the familiar name. Suddenly, there was a bang and his eyes were instantly hit by explosive light from the outside. He slowly opened his brilliant green orbs to realize that his door was already ajar and he was greeted by a very peculiar scene. There were three people by the door, one was an elderly man and he was wearing half moon glasses with long, white beard on his face, and long hair with the same shade as his facial hair that elegantly fell down his back. A woman with a stern looking face (he was right about that one) was standing by the right side of the old man and she was really intimidating. Harry felt uneasy as she stared at him in the eye, unblinking, and he noticed she was holding something long and wooden by her hand, like a wand. It was the same like in his dreams and he gazed at it hungrily. And what made his jaw drop to the floor entirely was the colossal man towering the two other people, he was bent over by the door and was brandishing a pink and flowery umbrella (which makes things even more peculiar) towards Uncle Vernon who was visibly trembling, no wonder he was acting the way he did. Harry's breath hitched when he realized what they wearing.

Robes. Just like in the dream.

The older man smiled warmly at him, his bright blue eyes twinkling behind his half moon glasses.

"Harry Potter, it's good to finally see you again."


End file.
